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Florida’s Overall Positivity Rate fell to 3.91%
Positivity Rate Statewide Under 7% for 12 days
Lowest Hospitalization Rates since June
Governor DeSantis appointed Judge Jamie Grosshans to the Florida Supreme Court
Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-224, Declaring a State of Emergency in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties
Florida Universities Achieve High Marks in U.S. News & World Report Public University Rankings
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Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Judge Jamie Grosshans to the Florida Supreme Court
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Judge Jamie Grosshans to the Florida Supreme Court. Judge Grosshans fills the vacancy created by former Florida Supreme Court Justice Robert Luck’s appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit by President Donald Trump.
“I’m pleased to announce that I’ve selected Judge Jamie Grosshans to serve as a justice on the Florida Supreme Court,” said Governor DeSantis. “As an appeals court judge, a successful lawyer in private practice and a working mother of three, I am confident that Judge Grosshans’ breadth of experience in the legal profession and in life will make her a successful Supreme Court Justice, and I look forward to her assuming the bench on our state’s highest court.”
Judge Jamie Grosshans
Grosshans, 41, currently serves as a Judge on the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, where she has served since being appointed in 2018. Prior to serving on the Fifth District Court, she served as an Orange County Court Judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida presiding over criminal and civil matters.
Judge Grosshans received her J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. Following law school, she served as an Assistant State Attorney for Orange County and later founded her own law firm focusing on family law and criminal defense. Judge Grosshans and her husband currently live in Orlando with their three children.
To watch the video of Judge Grosshans’ appointment, click the image below or click HERE.
ClickOrlando.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis has nominated Judge Jamie Grosshans to the Florida Supreme Court after the judge he initially picked to fill a high court vacancy was declared constitutionally ineligible to serve by the state Supreme Court.
DeSantis announced he had nominated Grosshans, of the 5th District Court of Appeal, at 5 p.m., the same time as a court-ordered deadline imposed by the Florida Supreme Court after the Governor missed the first deadline. The 5th District includes Lake, Marion and Sumter counties....
Pensacola News Journal Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties ahead of Hurricane Sally's arrival on the Gulf Coast.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall to the Panhandle, as well as flooding, strong winds and storm surge.
The Governor's order directs state resources to help with response, recovery and mitigation efforts....
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COVID-19 by the Numbers | COVID -19 Fatalities
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ICUs and Hospital Beds by the Numbers | Current as of 9/15/2020
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23.14%
% of ICU Beds Available Statewide
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38.74% % of Pediatric ICU Beds Available Statewide
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24.87% % of Available Hospital Beds Statewide
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Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Supreme Court Appointment
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Download or share any of these social media graphics or posts below for your personal, business, or agency use.
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Agency for Persons with Disabilities
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A 3-year-old girl is showing everyone that you can enjoy life, no matter what!
Harper Mae has already gone through 10 surgeries for spina bifida, a birth defect when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly, but that hasn't slowed her down....
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Agency for Health Care Administration
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Florida Reports 1,736 New COVID-19 Cases as Infection Rate Falls Below 4 Percent Chelsea Tatham, WTSP
Hospitalizations and ICU bed availability
Cases are climbing, but what about hospitalizations?
Tracking hospitalizations got easier on July 10 when the Agency for Health Care Administration began publishing a spreadsheet with the number of people currently checked-in for coronavirus-related complications in Florida. The data only includes people whose "primary diagnosis" was COVID-19....
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Department of Business and Professional Regulation
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‘People Are Much Wiser:’ Bar Owners Hope for Best Behavior as They Reopen WKMG Orlando Bar owners in Orlando hope that customers will be on their best bar behaviors as they reopen their doors for the first time in months.
Last week, the state Department of Business and Professional regulation announced bars can reopen Monday with 50% capacity inside, and as long as customers are seated and socially distanced.
The announcement came after DBPR shut down bars just about a week after they reopened as part of phase two in June.
“Watching everybody suffer the way they have been, has been tough,” said Ron DiDonato, owner of the Thirsty Topher in Orlando’s Ivanohoe Village.
After a span of six months in survival mode, bar owners are ready to try again....
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Department of Children and Families
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DCF Releases the New Child Protection Investigator Mobility App
During the recent Child Protection Summit, DCF unveiled the new Child Protection Investigator Mobility App. The inspiration for this app came from last year’s CPI Efficiency Project, which allowed frontline staff from around the state to identify areas for improvement in their day-to-day jobs and make actionable recommendations. Through this collaborative effort, CPIs suggested developing an easy-to-use tool to complete forms and submit paperwork while out in the field, eliminating the need for stacks of paper or even a laptop. Now, this idea has been brought to life, and the Mobility App enables them to read high-level overviews of their cases, make updates, take notes, and much more – all in the palms of their hands. To see the app in action, click on the video below!
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Department of Economic Opportunity
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CareerSource Polk is Using a $2.5 Million Grant from the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to Help put People Back to Work During the Pandemic. Central Florida Development Council
The money is part of $126 million the county received as part of the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant. The county used some of that money to assist homeowners and businesses affected by the sudden closure of establishments, and the ensuing loss of jobs, as the coronavirus spread.
CareerSource Polk is a non-profit corporation that oversees state and federal funds dedicated to preparing and upgrading a skilled workforce. It is coordinating Operation Recovery 2020 to help those recently laid off or furloughed return to the workforce in jobs paying $20 an hour.
“We are excited to offer economic solutions for our community,” said Arlalia Oldham-Wesley, director of operations for CareerSource. “It is my hope that we can both empower our citizens and equip our employers with the resources needed to recover from the impact of COVID-19.”
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U.S. News & World Report: FAMU Holds Top Spot as Highest Ranked Public HBCU WTXL TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University is again the highest-ranked public historically Black college and university, according to U.S News & World Report 2021 Best Colleges ranking of Top Public Universities.
The report says FAMU ranked 117 among Top Public Universities, up from No. 123 a year ago.
The next highest ranked public HBCU lands at 136....
UF, Other Florida Universities Climb in U.S. News and World Report Rankings Tampa Bay Times
The University of Florida was named the No. 6 public university in the country Monday in the latest annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report, bumping it up a spot from No. 7 last year.
The university also was ranked highly for its business, computer science and engineering undergraduate programs. The announcement follows a year of record-breaking research spending at UF and the launching of a $70 million artificial intelligence initiative.
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Department of Environmental Protection
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DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein Addresses 2020 State Summit on Water Reuse
On Sept. 3, DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein spoke at the 2020 State Summit on Water Reuse virtual event. The virtual summit was hosted by the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the Environmental Council of States (ECOS), and the Groundwater Protection Council (GWPC). The purpose of the summit was to support states developing water reuse regulations or programs, foster learning for states experiencing new or challenging drivers for reuse, and support related initiatives such as the National Water Reuse Action Plan.
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Department of Elder Affairs
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ElderSource, the Area Agency on Aging and the Aging & Disability Resource Center for Northeast Florida, is an important lifeline for the more than 12,000 seniors in seven Northeast Florida counties. The mission of ElderSource is to "empower people to live and age with independence and dignity in their homes and community." During the epidemic, ElderSource has been a valuable source of information for senior citizens, providing information on its website about the virus, symptoms, and testing sites....
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COVID Keeps Declining; South Florida in Phase 2 The Palm Beach Post The pace of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to slow in the state and in Palm Beach County on Monday as all counties in Florida entered Phase 2 of restrictions designed to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus virus. An additional 1,736 new cases were reported statewide, the lowest increase since June 10 when 1,371 were reported, according to the daily update from the Florida Department of Health. The county logged an additional 114 new infections, far below the average of 155 cases that have been reported each day for the past two weeks. Statewide, 665,730 people have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began sweeping the state in March. Of those, 44,139 were in Palm Beach County....
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Department of The Lottery
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Florida Lottery Offices to Reopen to Public WFTX
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Lottery announces that players with prizes valued at $5,000 or more can request appointments to file claims at Florida Lottery Headquarters and district offices. Starting Tuesday, September 22, offices will be open to the public for claim appointments only. Claim appointments will be offered Tuesdays through Thursdays between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., EST (Pensacola's hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., CST). Each day's first hour will be reserved for players 65 and older and those with serious underlying medical conditions....
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Department of Transportation
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Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise Wins Prestigious 2020 President’s Award for Excellence and Technology Award from the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association FTE is Recipient of Two Awards for SunTrax - Toll Technology Testing Center
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during its Virtual 88th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) announced it has awarded Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) the prestigious 2020 President’s Award for Excellence. IBTTA is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve tolling. The President’s Award is the top honor the international transportation association presents each year.
FTE was named the winner of the President’s Award for Excellence for its development of SunTrax, the state-of-the-art transportation technology research, development and testing center being developed by the Florida Department of Transportation and FTE.
FTE also won IBTTA’s 2020 Toll Excellence Award for Technology. This year, IBTTA presented seven awards acknowledging industry leaders implementing transportation projects worldwide focusing on environmental sustainability, advancement of emerging technologies, easing mobility and alleviating congestion for drivers, and the development of new transportation systems in rapidly growing areas.
“FTE is the winner of this year’s President’s Award for Excellence and Toll Excellence Award for Technology for their SunTrax – Toll Technology Testing Center dedicated to the research, development, and testing of tolling and other emerging transportation technologies in safe and controlled environments,” said Samuel Johnson, CEO of the Transportation Corridor Agencies and President of IBTTA. “FTE, along with the six other 2020 Toll Excellence Award winners, continues to implement systems and strategies that are revolutionizing transportation throughout the globe and helping lead the way in creating transportation systems to keep our customers moving safely and efficiently.”
“The testing and research being conducted at the SunTrax facility are critical to providing mobility solutions for a growing Florida,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. “This recognition highlights the department’s dedication to providing the safest, most innovative transportation system in the country.”
“Toll authorities and industry partners demonstrate their continued leadership conceiving, developing and implementing programs and strategies that advance mobility, safety and efficiency for drivers around the world,” said David Machamer, Chair of IBTTA’s Toll Excellence Awards Committee and Assistant Executive Director, PIKEPASS and Toll Operations for the Oklahoma Turnpike. “Against historic, extraordinary circumstances this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these award winners continue to find ways to break new ground that ultimately will mean safer, more reliable and better experiences for our customers, the driving public...."
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PortMiami Moving Forward with Major Expansion Projects Miami's Community Newspapers The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., CEO of Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), as its 2020 Outstanding Public Transportation Manager. Miami-Dade County officials recently authorized the issuance of $335 million to PortMiami under the Capital Asset Acquisition Special Obligation Bonds “2020 Authorization” for revenue generating capital projects with Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line (Bahamas), Terminal Link Miami, and Virgin Cruise Intermediate Limited, as well as other infrastructure projects allowing the port to continue expanding business opportunities. “We support PortMiami’s cruise and cargo partners,” said Miami-Dade County Commission vice chair Rebeca Sosa, who serves as chair of the Tourism and the Ports Committee. “These bonds will provide for continued development at PortMiami, one of Miami-Dade County’s leading economic engines. This represents more jobs, more growth and more opportunities for our community. We are very grateful for our partners.”
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Florida Department of Corrections
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FDC K9 Teams Serve Florida Communities
Whether tracking a fleeing suspect or searching for a missing child or vulnerable adult, Florida Department of Corrections K9 Teams provide selfless service to Florida communities. Recently the K9 Team at Walton CI completed a mile-long track in dense woods in the panhandle, resulting in the capture and arrest of a home burglary suspect. Meanwhile, a few hundred miles east, K9 teams from Taylor and Cross City CIs joined local law enforcement to track and capture a sexual predator fleeing deputies. Outside Orlando, the Central Florida Reception Center K9 Team provided assistance to local agencies by tracking a murder suspect who was caught while swimming across a pond to evade apprehension. Later the same week, the South Florida Reception Center’s K9 Team swiftly located a missing juvenile and an escaped federal detainee during two separate activations near Miami.
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Florida Department of Law Enforcement
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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Edward Merrill Gray III, 58, of 1 Gray Oaks Lane, Gulf Breeze on eight counts of video voyeurism, one count of interception of oral communication and the misdemeanor charges of stalking and installation of a tracking device.
FDLE Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey said, “As a long-time trusted public figure, Gray violated the trust and privacy of four young men from our community. FDLE agents, analysts, and digital forensic consultants worked together to thoroughly investigate the allegations and uncover the facts of the case...."
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Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
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Tampa Area Honors Baldomero Lopez
Today the residents and staff of the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes remember their namesake. 70 years ago today, Marine Corps First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez sacrificed himself during the Korean War's Battle of Inchon to save his comrades, posthumously earning the Medal of Honor. The 120-bed skilled nursing facility named in his honor opened to veterans in 1999.
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Florida Division of Emergency Management
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Sally upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane Monday morning. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center says a hurricane warning has been extended eastward along the coast of the Florida Panhandle to Navarre....
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Space Coast Daily.com
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – TrophyCatch Season 8 is drawing to a close, and September 30 is the registration deadline to be included in this year’s Phoenix Boats TrophyCatch bass boat drawing. If you have already registered for TrophyCatch you are automatically included in the random drawing...
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Florida Housing Finance Corporation
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WJCT
A pair of emergency COVID-19 relief bills could provide housing assistance to families in Jacksonville, and give the Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office money to better prepare for the November election.
The first bill - 2020-555 - would appropriate roughly $2.6 million to the city to provide money for eligible households experiencing struggles due to COVID-19.
According to the bill’s language, the help could come in the form of mortgage and rent assistance payments, similar to the previous rounds of mortgage, rent and utility relief doled out by the city in previous months...
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Disney Official Announces Plans to Open Over 50 Percent of Hotels,Resorts Travel Pulse The Walt Disney Company revealed its plans to reopen over 50 percent of its hotels and resorts by the end of the fiscal year, according to Reuters. Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy announced Thursday during the Bank of America Virtual 2020 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference the theme park company planned to reopen “a little over 50 percent” of its hotels and resorts by September 30. Disney currently operates 53 resort hotels, many of which were closed in response to the coronavirus outbreak. While many properties have already reopened, others like the Polynesian Village Resort will be closed until next summer....
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Ahead of the school year, AmeriCorps members with Communities in Schools of Jacksonville helped children prepare by proving much needed school supplies, including books and encyclopedias. In total, members packed over 350 book bags that were distributed to students in Duval County.
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Department of Juvenile Justice
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Department of Management Services
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Florida Department of Citrus
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
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